Carson Kelly Bio
Carson Franklin Kelly is an American professional baseball catcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on July 14, 1994, in Chicago, Illinois, he was raised in Beaverton, Oregon, and attended Westview High School, where he starred as an infielder and pitcher. Selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round of the 2012 MLB draft, Kelly transitioned from third base to catcher early in his professional career and has since developed into a respected defensive backstop.
Early Life and Background
Carson Franklin Kelly was born on July 14, 1994, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents Mike and Traci, both Chicago natives. His father, Mike, worked as a Global Brand Marketing Director for Nike, and the family relocated to Beaverton, Oregon, a suburb of Portland, where Kelly spent most of his childhood. Around the age of 12, Kelly and his family also lived briefly in Toronto, where he picked up hockey in addition to baseball.
Kelly began playing baseball at the age of four and grew up cheering for the Chicago Cubs, although he counted Derek Jeter as his favorite player for his ability to find ways to win. He attended Stoller Middle School and Westview High School in Beaverton, where he became a star on the baseball team, playing both the infield and pitching. In 2011, his junior year, he appeared in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game, a national high school all-star showcase.
Kelly’s amateur résumé earned him widespread recognition. He was named the Gatorade Oregon Player of the Year in both 2011 and 2012, and he also won gold medals representing the United States in the 2011 World Youth Baseball Championship and an under-18 international tournament. He had committed to play college baseball at the University of Oregon before the Cardinals drafted him.
Path to Baseball
Kelly’s standout high school career positioned him as one of the top amateur prospects in the 2012 MLB draft. The St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the second round, 86th overall, as a third baseman. Although he had committed to the University of Oregon, Kelly signed with the Cardinals and received a $1.6 million signing bonus, beginning his professional career that summer with the Johnson City Cardinals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League.
After a 2013 season in which he struggled at Single-A Peoria and was briefly demoted to the State College Spikes, Kelly met with Gary LaRocque, the Cardinals’ director of player development, to discuss switching positions. Believing the move would make him more valuable within the organization, Kelly transitioned from third base to catcher during the 2013-14 offseason.
By 2014, Baseball America ranked him the 11th-best prospect in the Cardinals system, and by 2016 he was ranked the club’s fourth-best prospect and best defensive catcher. He won the 2015 minor leagues Rawlings Gold Glove Award for catchers and was selected to both the 2016 Texas League All-Star Game and the All-Star Futures Game, paving the way for his big league debut later that September.
Carson Kelly Career
Early Career (2016-2017)
The Cardinals purchased Kelly’s contract on September 4, 2016, promoting him to the majors as part of September call-ups. He made his MLB debut on September 5 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, lining a double in his first at-bat and scoring a run in a 12-6 Cardinals win. He appeared in 10 games that September, batting .154 with one RBI, and was later named the Cardinals’ 2016 Minor League Player of the Year after a strong Arizona Fall League showing.
In 2017, Kelly opened the season at Triple-A Memphis, where he batted .283 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs in 68 games and was named Cardinals Minor League Player of the Month for May. He was recalled to St. Louis on July 21 as a backup to Yadier Molina and finished the year batting .174 in 34 big league games, gaining valuable experience behind one of the most accomplished catchers in baseball history.
St. Louis Cardinals Tenure and Trade (2018)
Kelly opened 2018 at Memphis and shuttled between the majors and minors as injuries and roster moves created opportunities. He received his first promotion on May 6 when Molina landed on the disabled list, but a right hamstring sprain cost him nearly two weeks before he returned. After being optioned back to Memphis in June, he batted .269 with seven home runs in 83 Triple-A games and was recalled when rosters expanded in September.
On December 5, 2018, the Cardinals traded Kelly, Luke Weaver, Andy Young, and a draft pick to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, ending Kelly’s time in the St. Louis organization.
Arizona Diamondbacks Era (2019-2023)
Kelly debuted with Arizona on March 29, 2019, against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 13-inning game that set the record for the longest contest ever played at Dodger Stadium. He delivered a pinch-hit RBI in the 13th to lift the Diamondbacks to a 5-4 victory. On May 4, he hit his first career home run as part of back-to-back blasts against the Colorado Rockies, and he later tied a game against the Dodgers with a two-run shot in the ninth before hitting a solo homer in the 11th inning to secure a 3-2 win on August 9.
Kelly’s first full MLB season was a breakout. In 111 games he batted .245 with a .348 on-base percentage and .478 slugging percentage, hitting 18 home runs and driving in 47 runs. His 18 homers tied Miguel Montero’s Diamondbacks franchise record for the most home runs by a catcher in a single season, cementing his status as Arizona’s primary backstop.
Kelly’s tenure in Arizona was later disrupted by injuries. In 2020, he appeared in 39 games during the pandemic-shortened season and even pitched a scoreless inning in a blowout loss to the San Diego Padres. He played 104 games in 2022, batting .211 with seven home runs and 35 RBI, and agreed to a one-year, $4.275 million deal in January 2023 to avoid arbitration. A fractured right forearm suffered during spring training limited him to 32 games before he was designated for assignment in August 2023 and released two days later.
Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers (2023-2024)
On August 19, 2023, Kelly signed a major league contract with the Detroit Tigers that included a club option for 2024, which was picked up in November. He appeared in 60 games for Detroit in 2024, batting .240 with seven home runs and 29 RBI, before the Tigers traded him to the Texas Rangers on July 28, 2024, in exchange for Tyler Owens and Liam Hicks. In 31 games with Texas he batted .235 with two home runs and eight RBI, finishing the season as a rental addition for a club chasing a playoff spot.
Chicago Cubs Era (2024-Present)
On December 13, 2024, Kelly signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, returning to his hometown organization. The deal included a mutual option for 2027 worth $7.5 million and a $1.5 million buyout. In just his third game with the Cubs on March 31, 2025, Kelly hit for the cycle in an 18-3 victory over the Athletics, becoming the first Cub to accomplish the feat since Mark Grace in 1993 and the first player in MLB history to hit for the cycle in the month of March.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kelly is widely regarded as one of the better defensive catchers in baseball, winning the minor leagues Rawlings Gold Glove Award for catchers in 2015 and earning frequent praise from Baseball America as a top defensive backstop throughout his Cardinals and Diamondbacks tenure. He is known for his game-calling, ability to manage pitching staffs, and right-handed pop at the plate that produced a franchise-tying 18 home runs for Arizona in 2019.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Kelly’s signature moments is his March 31, 2025 cycle for the Cubs, his franchise-tying 18-homer season with the Diamondbacks in 2019, and his walk-off RBI single for Memphis on his 23rd birthday in 2017. His first MLB hit, a double in his debut against the Pirates on September 5, 2016, marked the start of a major league journey that has spanned four organizations.
Carson Kelly Career Wins
Carson Kelly’s career highlights include a Rawlings Gold Glove Award in the minor leagues, a franchise-tying 18-home run season for Arizona in 2019, and a historic cycle for the Cubs in March 2025. While wins for a catcher are primarily measured in All-Star selections and defensive recognition, Kelly’s resume includes Texas League All-Star Game and All-Star Futures Game selections in 2016.
Major League Highlights
Kelly’s top MLB moments include his cycle against the Athletics on March 31, 2025, his 18-homer 2019 season for Arizona that tied Miguel Montero’s Diamondbacks record, and his first career home run on May 4, 2019, against the Colorado Rockies. He also delivered a pinch-hit RBI in the 13th inning of his Diamondbacks debut, a game that set the record for the longest ever played at Dodger Stadium.
Other Performances
In the minor leagues, Kelly won the 2015 Rawlings Gold Glove Award for catchers and was selected to the 2016 Texas League All-Star Game and 2016 All-Star Futures Game. He was also named the Cardinals’ 2016 Minor League Player of the Year after batting .289 across Double-A and Triple-A.
Carson Kelly Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kelly was born to Mike and Traci Kelly, both Chicago natives. His father, Mike, worked as a Global Brand Marketing Director for Nike, and the family settled in Beaverton, Oregon. His younger brother, Parker, played college baseball at the University of Oregon and was drafted by the Cardinals in the 20th round of the 2018 MLB draft. Parker spent two seasons in the Cardinals minor league system before moving on to independent league baseball.
Personal Life
Kelly married his wife, Eloise, in 2020. An avid golfer, he participated in the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open Pro-Am, a popular event that pairs professional athletes with PGA Tour players. Kelly grew up a fan of the Chicago Cubs and has cited Derek Jeter as a longtime favorite player for his competitive drive.
2025 Season Performance
Kelly’s 2025 season with the Chicago Cubs began in storybook fashion. In just his third game with the team on March 31, 2025, he hit for the cycle in an 18-3 rout of the Athletics, becoming the first Cub to accomplish the feat since Mark Grace in 1993 and the first player in major league history to cycle in the month of March. The performance instantly energized a Cubs clubhouse that had signed him to bring veteran stability behind the plate.
Now serving as a key veteran presence for the Cubs, Kelly is expected to handle the bulk of the catching duties and provide leadership for a young pitching staff. His track record of game-calling and pitch framing made him a priority free-agent signing for Chicago’s front office, and his early production suggests he is on pace for one of his most productive seasons in years.
Looking ahead, Kelly enters the middle of his two-year contract with the Cubs, with a mutual option for 2027 hanging over the deal. If his bat continues to produce at the plate and his defense remains steady, he has a strong chance of solidifying himself as Chicago’s everyday catcher well beyond 2025.